Betrayal
by GiantInflatableWalrus
Summary: "Some betrayals must be answered for, reparations must be paid. And sometimes only blood will do." In which Remus witnesses a murder, and takes it upon himself to get to the bottom of it - whatever it takes. SBRL. Quite strong language.
1. Prologue

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

Many people talk about _starting over. _They talk about putting the past behind them – but they never do it. They think that by moving house or changing lover they can start afresh. But they can't, because they haven't let go – they've just switched hands. You're not like that though, are you? No, you're doing it – working through your list of betrayals and crossing each one off. Some betrayals must be answered for, reparations must be paid. And sometimes only blood will do.

Not that you _enjoy _killing. That would be grotesque. And you are not grotesque. This is about healing – and it's not just your own wounds that need to be soothed. Some people won't understand what you're trying to achieve – some might say _nobody_ would understand. But you know that isn't true – other's who've had their lives and dreams dashed, they'd applaud you. They'd envy you.

You never know, you could start a trend.

An eye for an, a tooth for a tooth.

A life for a life.


	2. Chapter 1

**Hello there - hope everyone is well? **

**First off, I never intended to publish this - it was only ever meant to be to keep me occupied. As it is, I changed my mind- and decided to subject you lovely people to it. The quality is nowhere near as good as I would have liked, but I've spent so much time changing things I'll go mad if I do any more editing - so apologies for the stray commas and such. This was heavily in fluenced by _Fever of the Bone _by Val McDermid - the prologue was pretty much stolen, but we shan't mention that - I would urge anyone with even a vague interest to read some of her books; fantastic stuff.**

**Anyway; Enjoy.**

* * *

November had been a miserable month that year – nothing but rain and wind. As the weeks passed in a blur of grey cloud, Remus J Lupin began to forget what sunshine felt like. The constant bleakness of winter mornings was beginning to gnaw at his patience, waiting expectantly for spring and the start of longer, brighter days.

On this particular November night, Remus Lupin should have been sat in his cosy flat, eating spaghetti bolognaise. He should, by all accounts, have been drinking cheap red wine, watching dodgy films with Sirius and looking forward to an early night. As it was, the junior member of The Order of the Phoenix found himself huddled in a bus shelter, miserably watching the incessant rain pound onto the dark tarmac of the road. He gave a heavy sigh, sending a cloud of silver mist into the sky, before flicking his wrist out to see his watch: 1:30 am – six hours to go.

For the hundredth time that evening, Remus cursed Albus Dumbledore, and half-heartedly wished he'd never signed up for the sodding Order of the Phoenix. Given the recent surge in attacks on muggle-borns and half-bloods, it was now policy for a member to be stationed in every 'High Risk' area inhabited predominantly by Wizards. This area, Blakeshall Road to be exact, should have been covered by Arthur Weasley – _should. _Just like it _should _have been Remus' night off. But then when did things ever go as they _should_?

He shuffled his feet slightly, battered shoes scuffing the concrete floor, before standing to start pacing around the shelter – the wooden bench had resulted in numbness from the waist down. The lights of the houses on this street were all off; everyone was in bed – apart from Remus. Even Sirius would be in bed by now- _lucky bastard _he mused, before stifling a smirk as he recalled the image of Sirius, crestfallen at Remus leaving.

'_Sorry Pads' Remus had sighed, handing the parchment over for him to read. Sirius' eyes narrowed as he read, while Remus groped down the sides of the sofa for a rogue sock. _

'_This is bollocks' Sirius hissed, crumpling the note in one hand before chucking it in the vague direction of the bin. _

'_I know' Remus replied soothingly 'I know it is' _

'_This was your first night off in ages, and-'_

'_I know that too' Remus interjected, feet finally in their socks. _

'_Is there no one else in the bloody order who can do it?' he snapped 'Just wait till I get a hold of Weasley' _

'_Apparently not. Look. Siri, it's not Arthur's fault – Molly went into labour, and-' _

'_How very convenient' he muttered darkly. 'Almost _too _convenient if you ask me' he finished in a conspiratorial whisper, earning a chuckle from the other man. _

'_If you want to take it up with Dumbledore, tell him how this is 'Bollocks' because you're not getting any, then go ahead' Remus smirked, pushing himself up from the sofa. Scanning the floor of the sitting room and hallway for signs of his shoes, he made his way to the front door. The flat really needed a tidy – but where were they supposed to find the time to clean up? They didn't even have time to talk anymore. _

'_I'll see you in the morning' he called from the door, shoes and coat now in place. _

' _Yeah, maybe' Sirius called back 'If not, I'm sure I can pencil you in for lunch next Thursday – if our busy schedules will allow'. Remus rolled his eyes at the sarcasm dripping from his words, before opening the front door. _

'_I take it by that you really meant 'Goodbye Remus, I love you – don't go getting murdered' ...Right?' _

'_Nah, you go get yourself murdered – see if I care' he called back – but Remus clearly heard the smile in his voice. _

'_Night then' _

'_Night' _

Sirius always tended to have a slightly sharp tongue when he didn't get his own way – not one of his most endearing qualities, but something Remus had learned to live with. Actually, learning to live with Sirius had been a tough task – the man was stubborn and argumentative, and didn't have a clue how to work a feather duster. But he was the closest thing Remus had to normality, so he clung on for a dear life – rather like a limpet waiting for the storm to pass.

Thoughts of Sirius were rudely shunted from his mind as movement from the far end of the deserted street caught Remus' eye. A pinprick of light was dancing its way down the silent, soaked road – a distant, rhythmic sound of footsteps getting louder as the light came closer, eventually becoming recognisable as the familiar light of a wand – a light which was extinguished before the figure holding the wand could be visible.

Remus' breath stilled as he observed the figure, head covered by a dark hood- little more than a blurred shadow in the dark and sheets of rain- move further down the street before turning sharply to the right, pushing open a low wooden gate and mounting the steps beyond. As the front door swung open – whether by means of a key or magic, it was impossible to say – Remus sprang into action, jogging silently across the road and ducking behind the low brick wall surrounding the garden just in time to see the retreating back of the wizard disappear through the front door, which was promptly closed with a click.

Silence descended once more, leaving Remus with only the sound of his own blood pounding deafeningly in his ears. It was possible, of course, that it was nothing more than an occupant returning home late – but something, be it instinct of his training kicking in, told Remus something wasn't right. The way the Wizards' head was covered, the way they walked all suggested something was amiss with this person.

Seconds passed in deathly silence – Remus had almost convinced himself that all was well and there was no threat. Just as the tight knot of dread that had formed in his stomach began to loosen, a flash of light highlighted a window on the first floor of the house. The light was accompanied by a distant '_bang_' and a muffled yelp. The sound of rapid footfalls on the staircase were just audible, prompting Remus to move – vaulting swiftly over the low gate and scurrying across the sodden lawn to duck below the ground floor window.

Through a narrow gap in the cream curtains, Remus could just make out the movement of people- a tall, slim wizard was backing into the room slowly, followed closely by the hooded figure, wand extended once again – pointing directly at the retreating wizard's chest.

Remus had been trained for this – he knew how to proceed, knew how to disarm and neutralise the threat- knew how to kill. But there's a whole world of difference between knowing the theory behind something, and actually going through with it. At nineteen years old Remus had not been in combat alone before – usually he was part of a team, or stuck behind a desk trawling through dusty tomes. This was unfamiliar territory – so much different to the training exercises.

The occupant was cornered now – back to the fireplace, only means of escape blocked by an intruder holding a wand. The head and hands of the hooded figure were moving slightly, in a way that suggested they were talking. The double glazing and thick walls masked the majority of words from within the room, resulting in a low hum of muffled voices. The face of the cornered wizard was shadowed, only small areas highlighted in blue from the glow of a muggle fish tank in the far corner.

From what he could see in the poor light, the man was petrified. As he silently shook his head in disbelief, Remus spotted his hand moving subtly across the mantel piece, heading for a small terracotta flower pot. Remus wasn't the only one to spot this. The intruder cocked his head slightly to the left, apparently asking a question. With a flash of light that illuminated the room, the flower pot exploded beneath the wizard's fingers, sending a fine shower of glittering green powder into the air. Facing a desperate situation without the protection of his wand, he had put in one last ditch attempt to escape via floo powder – a vain effort, with no means of lighting a fire. Apparation had been disabled in this street by the Order a safety precaution – a precaution which had seriously backfired in this situation.

The wand was flicked again – this time sending the wizard sprawling to the ground, illuminated by red light as his limbs twitched, features contorted in agony. And Remus Lupin, trained member of the Order of the Phoenix, did nothing. Paralysed by fear, his arms and legs would not move – he was trained, yes – but not experienced. He was out of his depth, every scrap of knowledge and courage seemed to flee at the sight of the twitching, writhing mass on the floral carpet.

More flashes of red light, and Remus began to tremble - a voice was screaming inside his head, telling him to move, telling to him to break through that door and do something – _anything. _But he couldn't. The wizard continued to convulse, eyes rolled back in his skull. Remus' teeth began to chatter slightly. Nineteen years old – this wasn't what he should be doing. He shouldn't be crouched in a garden in the middle of the night, scared out of his wits because he was the sole person responsible for this stranger's life, and he had no idea if he was capable of saving him. That wasn't how things should be.

The body of the floor was jerking more violently now, back arching high off the floor - a trickle of dark liquid had begun to seep from the wizards mouth, trailing down his chin before staining his striped pyjamas. The sight of the blood on the pyjamas did something to Remus, jolting him out of his fear induced trance- he bolted from his crouched position, sending tufts of sodden grass up behind him, and raced up the front steps, opening the front door with a flick of his wand.

He burst into the hallway, eyes searching frantically for a hiding spot to work from. Without warning his eyes were blinded by a bright burst of light- _green light._ He stopped in his tracks, mind whirring as it processed the facts – he was dead. He'd been too slow. He'd been scared, and now someone was dead.

_Dead_.

Before Remus could even contemplate his next move, the hooded figure stepped back into the hallway, cloak billowing behind them- it struck Remus, in this moment of shock and disbelief, how the robes and hood seemed so totally out of place in this small, completely normal house. _How utterly ridiculous, _he thought. A low chuckle echoed off the high ceiling, sending a chill straight down his spine, accompanied by the familiar _swish_ of a wand cutting through the air.

Then his world went black.

* * *

What could have been minutes, hours or days later, hazy sounds began to penetrate the blackness of unconsciousness – Remus was greeted back to reality by distant, urgent shouting.

''Let me through there, _now' _

'Sirius, please-'

'Don't you dare' Remus heard a familiar voice growl. Propping himself up on his elbows he saw a frantic Sirius pointing a shaking finger into the calm face of Albus Dumbledore '_You _sent him in there. He could have died – he could be _dead_ now'

'He's back with us' A bored medi witch called from behind Remus' head – he swatted away their fussing hands as Sirius whipped around to face the house.

'You' he hissed, as he began to jog up the garden path towards the front door 'You complete, and utter ... utter..,' he struggled for the appropriate word as his pushed through the door into the hallway where Remus still lay 'you utter _bastard' _he growled, pulling Remus into a rough hug.

'He's dead' Remus whispered into Sirius neck, clinging to his shoulders with bruising force. Sirius shushed him gently, sending a glare over his shoulder which sent the hovering medi witches scurrying into the sitting room.

'I couldn't do it' he choked 'it's my fault – all my fault'

'Pardon?' Sirius blinked, pushing the shivering werewolf away from him so he could see him clearly.

'It was my fault' he swallowed loudly in an attempt to dislodge the lump in his throat 'I wasn't quick enough – I got to here and they knocked me out' he elaborated, the half lie slipping easily from his lips – no need for anyone to know it had taken him nearly five minutes of staring like a deer caught in headlights before he did anything even vaguely helpful.

'Rubbish' Sirius snapped 'Absolute nonsense. Right, come on. We've got to move- they'll need to get through here'

With that the two men pushed themselves off of the floral carpet, and made their way into the now buzzing street outside. Ministry members bustled about, mingling with order members and a small cluster of journalists accosting passing wizards.

'What time is it?' Remus asked wearily when they reached the other side of the road, settling into the bus shelter. The rain had stopped, but it was still dark – stars were reflecting in the dark puddles of rain water.

'2:15 am' came a voice from outside the shelter before Sirius could reply. Dumbledore moved into vision, purple robes fluttering as he sat on the wooden bench next to the shivering Remus. 'A neighbour heard the commotion and went to investigate. She found you lying in the hall – presumed dead'

'I'm sorry' he gulped, the newly formed lump in his throat making speech awkward, eyes stinging 'I should have been able to do more'

'Let's not concern ourselves with that now. What has happened is tragic, but not your fault.' He said kindly, but it wasn't enough to make Remus feel better. 'Now, Mr Black, I would strongly suggest going home – everything is in hand here' he concluded, before turning his back and walking back to the house, purple robes easily visible in the sea of black and brown clad wizards.

A swarm of wizards busied themselves in the house, vague shadows moving across the curtains of the sitting room, now strongly lit from within. Remus let out a shaky sigh and leant his head on Sirius' shoulder- they would be poking and prodding the Wizard. The _body _Remus corrected himself – thinking of him as a human would only make his guilt all the worse.

Exhaustion was creeping up on him now, fogging up his sense. His tired eyes made their way skywards, stars shining bright now the rainclouds had passed. As he considered the various constellations, searching half heartedly for one he would recognise from long since past Astrology lessons, a sudden thought struck him, causing his brows to furrow, before a chill of realisation travelled down his spine.

'Sirius?' he croaked quietly

'Mmhm?' he replied, head leant back on the slatted wooden wall of the bus shelter.

'This isn't right' he said slowly

'Tell me about it – the bloke was only just thirty, no way to die'

'No' he snapped urgently, pushing himself up straight 'I mean this is wrong – it's _incorrect_'

'Not with you mate' Sirius admitted, clearly confused.

'Look' he gestured to the house 'What's wrong? What's _missing_?'

Sirius studied the house intently, before shaking his head slowly

'Sorry, not a clue – what?'

Remus slowly pointed a finger skywards. Sirius' eyes followed.

'Shit' Sirius whispered after a pause.

'My point _exactly' R_emus breathed, eyes wide.

'Wait here' he ordered, jumping to his feet quickly 'Don't move a muscle' he added before darting across the street, searching out Dumbledore.

'Dumbledore' he shouted, spotting him in a crowd of Order members. 'It's not there!' he said quickly, pulling level with his former headmaster. Albus raised a silvery eyebrow, inviting the youth to continue.

'A wizard killed by a Death Eater, yeah?' he asked, gesturing back to the house.

'Obviously' sneered a short, podgy wizards to Dumbledore's left

'Oh, really?' He countered, glaring at the smaller wizard 'Then where's the Dark Mark?'

Silence descended over the group as a dozen pairs of eyes raked the star strewn sky for signs of a giant skull and snake.

'It is possible' Dumbledore began evenly after a moment of contemplation 'that our assailant was disturbed and did not have time'

'Bollocks' Sirius spat 'When has a Death Eater _not _left a mark?'

'There's a first for everything' Albus replied gently

'This is all wrong' Sirius said, shaking his head and moving back towards the bus shelter 'and you know it' he called over his shoulder.

* * *

'All those people there... why did no one notice?' Sirius asked hours later in the comfy cocoon of their bed, punching his pillow into a more comfortable position. 'A ruddy great sign floating in the sky, someone should have twigged'

'We just saw what we expected to see' Remus sighed, his knees drawn tight to his chest, leaning against the headboard 'How many times have we been to a murder scene? Too many, and there's always a sign – I suppose we just don't pay attention anymore, take it for granted'.

'Maybe' Sirius mused. 'It really wasn't your fault, Remus' he said gently, correctly interpreting the awkward silence that had joined them in bed.

'Yes, it was' He sniffed 'I know what to do, I know how to deal with it – I know it all. I just couldn't _do _it properly'

'Be fair' Sirius said, poking him on the shoulder 'The fact you went in there to try and stop them was bordering on heroic, never mind the outcome'

'Don't humour me, Sirius. I should have been able to do _somethin_g more' he said, wishing he'd told Sirius the truth from the start – admitting he'd been too scared to do anything may have made him feel bad, but it couldn't be anything compared to the guilt he felt at lying.

'No one should be in that position' Sirius whispered, stretching out a hand to take Remus' 'Now, you need to sleep. We can rake over this in the morning if you want'

The bedside lights were extinguished with a _click_, plunging the pair into darkness. After a few seconds of rustling blankets, the room fell silent.

'It wasn't a death eater, Sirius' Remus whispered into the darkness, minutes later.

'Maybe not' Sirius agreed 'But that leaves us with a big problem'

'Hm?'

'If it wasn't a Death Eater ... who the fuck was it?'

* * *

The far wall of the tiny office was filled with a large map of the country. Desk, completely disproportionate to the size of the small room, was perfectly organised – in tray, out tray all neat – even the rubber bands and paperclips were colour coded. The killer took a last sip of tea, replacing it back to the saucer with a surprisingly loud _clink._

They stood, and selected a red drawing pin from the tray on the desk, before walking over the map. With a twist of the thumb, the pin was stuck in a London road – Blakeshall Road.

One down.

* * *

**Any sort of feedback is loved; constructive criticism would be _hugely _appreciated.**  
**Many thanks!**


	3. Chapter 2

'There's another thing that doesn't make sense' Remus said, jabbing his spoon at Sirius, flicking specks of coffee at him.

'Just what we need – another thing that makes no sense' He replied sarcastically, swiping a drop of dark liquid from his cheek. It had been a long night for both of them – their frazzled brains were in much need of caffeine to get them through another gruelling day.

'Why didn't they kill me?' He asked, returning the spoon to his mug.

'God Moony, will you stop being so damn cheerful?'

Remus could hear true weariness under the flippant remark, but he pressed on nonetheless.

'I'm serious; why just knock me out? I was a potential witness'

'Maybe they thought they had?' Sirius suggested, buttering a piece of toast 'Or maybe they knew you hadn't seen them properly?'

'Perhaps...' Remus agreed, not totally convinced.

'Or maybe they didn't kill you because you weren't the target' Remus raised an eyebrow to signal how daft he thought that suggestions was.

'A murderer with a conscience? I think not' he scoffed

'Hm, you never know' he murmured, taking a bite of toast.

This moment of normality should probably have been some sort of comfort to Remus – something completely mundane, breakfasting together in their cramped kitchen. However it only served to further compound his guilt – he was here, going through normal routines while some bloke was lying dead on a slab somewhere in the labyrinth of St Mungo's.

'There's something you should know' Sirius said eventually, shifting in his seat.

'I'm really not going to like this, am I?' Remus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

'I imagine not –no. Dumbledore sent an owl this morning while you were asleep'

'...Go on ...'

'We're both excluded from the murder last night. Not allowed within ten miles of the case'

'Excuse me?' Remus spluttered through half a mouthful of coffee.

'We're too involved, apparently'

'So I just sit here, do I?' Remus demanded, gesturing around the kitchen with upturned palms. 'Pretend last night never happened? _I _saw it, _I_ know what happened, but I'm just going to let those ... those ..._twats_ deal with it, am I?'

'That's the long and short of it' He answered with an apologetic tone.

'I don't know why I expected anything else' he sighed, leaning his head on the cool table top

'Maybe it's for the best'

'How?' Remus asked the table

'You need time to get over this, to deal with ...stuff'

'What do you mean 'Deal with it'?' He snapped, bolting upright. He may have been helpless to act last night, but he wasn't about to go to pieces over this.

'You were talking to yourself last night' he said evenly 'you were crying out'

'Fuck' Remus sighed, deflating 'Sorry'

'Don't be' Sirius said, shaking his head 'I'd be surprised and a little worried if you hadn't been knocked for six'

Remus sighed again and nodded slightly, before pouring himself another cup of coffee. He felt a pain, somewhere between his ribs that he recognised vaguely as guilt- he hated lying to Sirius but he knew he'd much rather lying to telling Sirius the truth – telling Sirius he'd been too much of a coward to save a life.

'You look tired' Sirius said gently 'I have to go to headquarters, you should get some sleep while I'm out' he suggested, eyes scanning the dark circles under his eyes. 'No one will expect you in today'

'Mm, maybe' Remus replied half heartedly, closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair. After the dreams he'd had last night, he sincerely doubted he'd be doing much sleeping in the near future.

* * *

Sirius was tied to a kitchen chair, struggling with thick ropes that bound his arms together. Remus watched as he twisted and turned his hands in a desperate, but futile attempt to free himself – he was watching through a crack in a door: from his crouched position he assumed he was inside a cupboard, or wardrobe.

'Remus?' Sirius croaked, stilling his movements to squint through the doors 'Remus, thank God!' he sighed in relief, smiling expectantly at Remus' hiding spot.

'Going to untie me then?' He asked shaking the ropes slightly. Remus felt his head shake of its own accord. Footsteps echoed around the room, and Sirius' head shot up to look at the door on the far side of the room – the hooded figure swept through, wand held out.

'Remus ... Remus?' He asked uncertainly, eyes trained on the figure approaching him 'Stop pissing about Moony, get me out of this!' he was frantic now, the fear showing clearly in his eyes as the wand brandishing wizard loomed closer. A burst of light and the room was filled with Sirius' screams, his body twitching in the chair.

The screams became louder, filling Remus' head - it wasn't until his eyes snapped open that he realised the cries had been his own.

* * *

The curtains in the bedroom were drawn tight when Remus jerked awake, and the fact no one had come to shut him up told him the flat was empty – Sirius was still out. A fact Remus was grateful for – _normal people don't react like this _he told himself. _They just don't._ After a few minutes of musing, he extracted himself from the bed and padded into the bathroom, turning the shower on.

The feel of water beating rhythmically against his skin was cathartic to Remus, lulling his mind into a state where the cogs stopped whirring at such a frantic rate. If he was off the case, what was the point of worrying about it? He would forget it – bury it deep at the back of his mind, sweep it under the carpet and never visit it again. In the meantime, he needed to keep busy, keep moving and keep occupied. Today, he decided, he would finally get around to tidying the flat. Top to bottom, every nook and cranny would be thoroughly swept, polished and disinfected.

As he stepped out of the shower, draping a towel loosely around his hips he drew up a mental list of areas to clean first – he would hoover and dust everywhere, wash the covers on the sofa and curtains, re-organise the wardrobe and his desk- and he would do it all the muggle way – whether out of defiance, to distance himself from the undesirable aspects of the wizarding world or just to draw the process out, he wasn't sure. It was a relief to have a sense of purpose, even if just for a few hours.

The flat had the general atmosphere of a temporary home – a place bought, and lived in, but never meant to be long term, just until a better place came along. The plan had always been a small house as soon as they could afford it; the flat was just a rest stop in between. No real time or money had been ploughed into it: the wallpaper was dated and peeling in places, the carpets were all dull and threadbare- it was in need of work, but had been well loved.

Remus' thoughts drifted as he considered the things this flat had seen over the two years of housing them; fights, breakups, make-ups, celebration and commiseration. He smiled, faintly, has he ran a duster over the shelves of the heavy bookcase in the sitting room – it took up more space than should be allowed, but Remus saw it as a necessity, and so Sirius allowed it to stay. Sirius last birthday had resulted in a terrible amount of drink being consumed, mostly by the 'Birthday boy' himself, who, as a result of his intoxicated state, saw fit to attempt to climb the wooden structure: an escapade which ended in nothing but a broken foot.

'Morning, Minerva' Remus said aloud, lifting a fish bowl in one hand to sweep the duster underneath it. Minerva had been a 'flat warming' present from Lily – a vibrant goldfish, named by Sirius as a 'joke'. Minerva gawped back at him, mouth moving slowly – Remus considered this to be an appropriate response. As he placed the bowl back down, careful not to slop the water over the table an image swam into vision – a wizard's face, features drawn in panic, highlighted by the light from a fish tank – small, fish-shaped shadows swimming back and forth in the dim blue light.

With a heavy sigh Remus dropped onto the sofa – pushing this from his thoughts was a futile attempt; it had been foolish to think otherwise. It wasn't just guilt troubling Remus - it was the fact that all of this was wrong. It _hadn't _been a Death Eater in that house. This wasn't a run of the mill, everyday murder by Voldemort's minions. It just _wasn't._

With a louder sigh of frustration, Remus pushed himself up from the battered sofa, throwing the can of polish and cloth onto the seat he had just vacated, before moving into what had originally been the spare bedroom – but was now a shared office. Remus' and Sirius' desks were equally untidy – the difference was, Remus' was strewn with unorganised papers and rough drafts of reports, while Sirius' was home to magazines, half empty packets of sweets and assorted junk. Remus' desk, positioned under the window overlooking a relatively busy street, was quickly cleared of clutter by a sweep of the arm, leaving a clear workspace.

* * *

Sirius swept into the flat several hours later, paper bag gripped between his irritatingly perfect teeth as his hands worked busily with his keys and coat.

'Remus?' He hollered, voice muffled by the bag 'I've got food'

'Remus!' he called louder, bag now deposited on the kitchen table.

'In here' came the weary reply, wafting from the study.

'What in the name of Merlin's-' Sirius began, taking in the thick layer of papers covering the carpet, before his words were cut short at the sight of Remus' frenzied scribbling. 'Remus, stop this' he sighed, reaching over his shoulder to pluck the piece of parchment from the desk.

'Stop what?' Remus snapped, snatching the parchment back.

'Obsessing: this isn't healthy'

'I can't think about anything else' he said, pushing his reading glasses further up the bridge of his nose.

'Why?' Sirius was getting impatient now 'This wasn't your fault, Moony. This was no one's fault, and you have to let it drop'

'Christ' Remus paused in his writing 'Are you really that thick, or are you just not listening on purpose?'

'That's not fair' he shouted 'You've been told not to get involved'

'Since when did you listen to what you're told?' Remus asked incredulously, eyes not leaving the desk.

'Listen to yourself, Moony. You've got some weird, misplaced guilt, so now you're convinced there's some sort of conspiracy theory going on'

'So you don't believe me?' Remus said evenly, twisting in the chair to see Sirius better – he looked tired, dark circles around his eyes, hair dishevelled 'You were on my side last night, you believed me this morning – what's changed?'

'Last night...' Sirius began with a sigh 'Last night I was tired, pumped with adrenalin ... I thought I'd lost you. Now, I can think clearly. The chances it wasn't a Death Eater are slim to none'

'Then I'll prove it' Remus said in a matter of fact tone. 'Then will you accept it?'

'Fine' Sirius replied 'as long as you agree to drop this when you're proved wrong'

'_if _I'm proved wrong' Remus corrected.

'If you say so' he conceded 'Now, will you come eat?'

* * *

Remus awoke the following morning to dreary, grey light filtering through the bottom of the ill fitting bedroom curtains. He lay in bed, facing the ceiling, for a while – musing over his next course of action. How does one go about proving things like this? His only option, as far as his sleep deprived brain could fathom, was to prove the victim could not have been a potential target. Blakeshall road was known for the amount of pure blood, old magic families – a high profile area, the houses sought after by those in need of a status symbol.

It was also a road of much interest to the Order. Number 17 was occupied by an ex death eater, living under the protection of the Order of the Phoenix in return for information of Voldemort. If anyone on the road was going to be taken out by his followers, it would be the inhabitant of number 17 – not some chap no one had heard of before. This fact gave Remus a glimmer of hope; if Madstone was a pureblood, he couldn't have been a target of the death eaters.

With the faintest outline of a plan forming, Remus eased himself out of the warm double bed before scrabbling about for clean clothes.

'Where you going?' Sirius mumbled, words slurred with sleep.

'Just out' he whispered back, facing away as he pulled shoes and socks on

'A wild goose chase?'

'Something like that' he conceded with an irritated sigh. 'I'll see you later' he called over his shoulder, leaving the bedroom without a backwards glance for his partner.

Trotting down the cavernous stairwell winding down the centre of the block of flats, Remus felt a small pang of guilt for Sirius – he loved Sirius, no question about that. He just couldn't play the normal, well balanced half of their unsteady relationship: not at the moment, at least. He knew how Sirius felt – as though he'd been pushed aside, forgotten about- but he couldn't look him straight in the eye at the moment, let alone touch him.

Reaching the ground floor, Remus carried on to the communal use bins. Ducking behind them he double checked he wasn't being followed before turning on the spot and disappearing, reappearing with a c_rack_ in a relatively quiet London street.

The visitor's entrance to the Ministry of Magic loomed ahead as he walked as quickly as he could without running – the red telephone box sticking out like the proverbial sore thumb against the dank, miserable grey background. Remus' plan was far from foolproof, and depended on him not being spotted by any Order members.

As the phone box descended, Remus felt a niggle of concern itching at the back of his mind – it had been two days since he had heard from the Order. Never, in the two years he had been a member, had he been spared for two days. He was used to a constant stream of instructions to do this, or orders to do that. The silence only reinforced his theory that he was right, and they were trying to keep him away from the truth. _Or _a quiet voice at the back of his thoughts interjected, sounding suspiciously like Sirius _maybe they think you're over worked and need a break. Maybe they think you can't cope_.

Before Remus could form a snide comeback for his own internal monologue, the lift ground to a halt in the glittering entrance hall of the Ministry – the usual hustle and bustle of early morning arrivals meant Remus could slip through the crowd unseen as he made his way to the lifts.

The third time the lift clattered to a halt in the tense journey through the building, Remus, from his position at the back of the cramped space, saw a familiar mop of untidy black hair shuffle into the lift. Remus pushed himself further into the back wall in a desperate attempt to blend in and remain unseen. James Potter's eyes scanned the inhabitants of the lift in mild interest, taking in the varied figures of the other occupants, eyes sliding over his friend – before the familiar face registered in his head, and his eyes snapped back to Remus. Clocking the look of recognition on James' face, he drew a finger sharply across his throat, a gesture which clearly said _'Shut up, don't say a word – you have not seen me'_.

The rest of the lift trip passed in silence, James staring pointedly in any direction but at Remus- He may not always be the soul of discretion, Remus thought, but at least he knew when to take a hint. As the lift ground to a halt once more, Remus darted forwards – flashing James a subtle wink as he passed- before stepping out into a plain, magnolia coloured corridor devoid of any decoration. Walking quickly to the right, he followed the corridor until he came to a set of double doors – through which was a large, open plan office housing a number of desks.

Scanning the faces of the office workers, Remus settled upon a suitably bored looking young wizard in the far right corner. 'Excuse me' Remus said quietly as he drew level with the desk in question. The youth raised his eyes to take in Remus, before giving a small nod of greeting. 'I'm working alongside the Ministry on a murder, would have been night before last'

'Madstone' The lad said shortly, fingers twiddling a quill on his desk. 'John Madstone was his name. And, before you go any further, I've given your department all the information I can – anymore and I'll be in serious trouble' he added, shuffling papers to show the little meeting was over.

'Look' Remus said firmly, but still quietly, as he leant across the desk 'This could be a matter of life and death' he emphasised the last word, while letting his right hand travel to his robe pocket. 'I only want a few pieces of information' he said as he moved his hand, the sound of rattling coins easily heard by the wizard.

The younger wizard's eyes swept down to the source of the noise, before sighing heavily and pushing his chair back. 'What do you want to know?' he asked, moving over to a tall bank of wooden filing cabinets, fishing about for a file.

'His blood status' Remus said quickly, leaning his forearms on the desk.

'For heaven's sake' the wizard growled, before whipping out his wand 'Can't find a damn thing in this place' he added before uttering a summoning charm, bringing the Madstone file to the top of the drawer.

'Blood status?' He flicked through the pages 'Hm ...Ah, he was Muggle born. Mother was a primary school teacher in Swansea, Father worked for an insurance firm'

'Shit' Remus muttered under his breath 'Okay' he said slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose 'Is there anything else in there out of the ordinary?' he asked. The wizard shook his head as he scanned the pages 'It is really important' Remus said slowly and clearly 'that you tell me _anything_ important. Do you understand?'

'Look, there's nothing here' he said irritably, flicking a few leaves over.

'Oh, wait' He said, finger running down a column of text 'Here's something. He was a-'

'Christ' Remus gasped, eyes trained on the double doors – the squat little Order member from the murder scene was stomping across the office, head down scanning a long sheet of parchment. Without another word Remus streaked past the desk towards the only other door in the room.

Had the situation not been quite so serious, Remus would have found hiding in a stationary cupboard rather amusing. Through the keyhole he could see the young wizard he had been taking to deal with the shorter wizard, apparently not at all surprised by Remus' disappearing act.

After several minutes, the wizard thanked the office worker before turning his back to retreat from the office. When certain that the coast was clear, Remus sidled out of the cupboard.

'Sorry about that' he said to the wizard, fishing out a few galleons from his robe pocket.

'Not a problem' he said with a smile 'you'd be surprised by the number of people who've done that'

'Er... right' he said, chucking the coins on the desk 'Thanks for your help'

'But I didn't finish' he said, pointing to the parchment.

'No point' Remus sighed 'I've heard all I need to'

'Oh, right then' He said, scooping the coins into his own pocket 'See you then'

'Mm, bye' He replied distractedly as he made his way back across the office, to the lifts beyond.

* * *

'Find any Gooses then?' Sirius asked, looking up from a magazine he was flicking through as Remus wandered back into the flat.

'What?' Remus asked, toeing his shoes off.

'On your wild goose chase?'

'Oh, ha ha' Remus sneered, dropping onto the sofa next to Sirius with a _whoosh_ of a sigh 'No. And it's geese anyway, not gooses'

'So, does that mean-'

'That I'm going to let this drop?' He cut off Sirius' words 'I suppose'

'So we're agreed that this is a bog standard Death Eater atrocity?'

'Mm-hmm' Remus mumbled dejectedly.

'Good, I was starting to miss you' Sirius smiled, throwing his magazine to the floor 'You're no fun when you're all moody'. Remus smiled back, tucking his feet under to him so he could better lean into Sirius.

'Sorry' he muttered closing his eyes, finally feeling the exhaustion from the last few days creep up on him.

'Back to normal now, yes?' Sirius asked, slightly warily. Remus recognised a need for reassurance, even from Sirius

'Completely' he nodded, tiredness washing over him as he finally let his head droop and welcomed the blackness of sleep.

* * *

The secret of success, our murderer muses, is in the planning, in the fine detail and – most crucially- the timing. A smile appeared, as the final finishing touches were applied and put into place.

* * *

**Any and all feedback, especially constructive criticism would be much loved.**

**Many thanks for reading & have a nice day. **


	4. Chapter 3

**Apologies for the delay in updating – late in August I found out I'd finally been accepted for University, so things have been a bit of a whirl since then - a good sort of whirl though. **

**Anyway, enjoy.**

* * *

As the miserable month of November began to slide into December, the constant rain moving over for snow, flat 7b was preparing for Christmas.

'Your star's on wonky' Sirius remarked from his position on the sofa, lounging with his feet draped over the arm, a box of Brazil nuts resting on his chest.

'Get off your arse and do it yourself then' Remus snapped, chucking a stray bauble in his general direction – the sparkly sphere made contact with the box of nuts, sending them flying onto the carpet.

'You bastard' Sirius whined, whipping his wand out to summon the scattered nuts back to their box 'Move out the way' he instructed, to which Remus backed away from their newly decorated Christmas tree. Sirius took aim from his horizontal position, one eye closed and tip of his tongue poking out the side of his mouth.

'There' he smiled, resuming the nibbling of chocolate covered treats as the star wiggled itself into position.

'Yeah, thanks' Remus backed further away from the tree to better see the overall effect. 'What do you think?' he asked, head cocked to one side.

'Gorgeous' Sirius remarked, a smile evident in his voice. Remus flashed a look in his direction, rolling his eyes to the ceiling when he saw Sirius' expression.

'I meant the tree, you twat' he explained, crossing his arms over his chest.

'Hm?' his attention dragged away from Remus' rear 'Oh, so was I' Sirius nodded firmly 'absolutely – Gorgeous tree'.

'Twat' Remus repeated with a small grin, wandering off into the kitchen.

'Tea?' Sirius called hopefully to the retreating back of his partner.

'Mm-Hmm' Remus replied, stooping to open the fridge door and check their stock of milk. The kitchen was almost always devoid of food – both too busy to eat proper meals, let alone go shopping. They did, however, always have ample supplies for tea making. How very English, Remus mused as he sniffed the half pint of milk to check it was fresh.

A startled yell from the sitting room made Remus straighten quickly, head connecting with the top of the fridge.

'Bastard, bastard' he muttered rubbing the sore area as he sprinted back into the sitting room. Sat on the sofa was a slightly pale Sirius, clutching his chest as though in the dramatic throes of a heart attack.

In the armchair opposite sat the scruffy haired, bespectacled James Potter.

'Making tea?' James asked with the same tone of hopefulness as Sirius, ignoring the glares being sent from the prone figure on the sofa.

'I _was'_ he growled, hand still clamped to the top of his head. 'And you!' he turned to face Sirius 'Do _not _screech like that again. I thought you were being murdered'

'So did I!' he gasped 'He apparated in, no warning – I thought we were under attack'

* * *

'I take it you're not just here for tea?' Remus called as he stirred three mugs of steaming tea in the kitchen.

'Well, no' James admitted 'but mainly for tea' he added hastily, standing to take a mug from Remus.

'What can we do for you then?' Remus handed a mug to Sirius as he sat down next to him.

'Next Thursday is Lily's birthday'

'You remembered? I bet she loves you for that' Remus smirked, kicking Sirius' foot with a 'See, _he _can do it – why can't _you' _expression- to which Sirius' glare replied 'I only forgot once – and we were 16'

'Anyway, as I was saying – it's her birthday, and I want to take her out' to which Sirius gave a sarcastic 'aww', cut short by another kick to the foot. 'So I need someone to cover my shift on watch'

'See' Sirius said with a sniff, turning to Remus 'He only comes to see us when he wants something. And he didn't even mention our nice tree'

'It's lovely' James remarked, eyes moving up and down the tree.

'Gorgeous, even' Sirius smirked into his tea.

'So, is that a yes?' James seemed eager to get their agreement quickly. It was clear, Remus pondered, that James was determined to do something special. Even after the years they had been together, he and Lily were still completely infatuated with one another. Sirius and Remus had often remarked that it was only a matter of time before the wedding was announced.

'I can't' Remus said apologetically 'I'm up to my eyes in it, and it's the full moon the night before'

'Shit, I forgot' James winced 'Sorry'. Remus batted away the apology; it was something easy to forget when you didn't live your life by the cycle of the small lump of rock.

'Don't worry. But I'm sure Sirius owes you a favour or two' he smiled innocently.

'When and where?' Sirius asked in resignation with a sigh, folding his arms petulantly over his chest.

'Dorrington Terrace, 11pm to 6am'. The answer came with a broad smile as James gulped down several mouthfuls of tea.

'Yes, yes – alright then. It's been a while since I've done anything incognito' Sirius remarked with a fond smile.

All three laughed, before a thought struck James.

'Speaking of _incognito, _what were you doing playing James Bond in the ministry lift the other week?'

'Oh' Remus smiled, recalling his not-quite encounter with James while on his 'Wild Goose Chase', as it was termed by Sirius. 'Just a bit of detective work' he said, taking another gulp of tea.

'Detecting ...what, exactly?' James pressed, folding his legs.

'Can't tell you I'm afraid'

James scowled at this, picking a loose thread on the armchair 'Fair enough' he sighed

'Anyway, on a brighter note' Sirius interrupted, placing his half empty mug on the floor 'Where has Peter got to these days? I haven't seen him in weeks'

'Couldn't tell you' James said, taking his glasses off to clean on the corner of his shirt 'Last I heard he was off on some top-secret operation, all very hush-hush' he explained, holding his glasses up to the light to check for any specks of dust left on the lenses. 'And since then he's fallen off the radar'.

'Odd' Remus mused, tapping his fingers on the seat of the sofa.

'Very' James agreed, putting his glasses back on 'Anyway, this was only meant to be a flying visit- I have to be off – People to see, stuff to do'

'Sounds thrilling' Remus said, standing to pick the mugs up 'say 'Hello' to Lily for us' he instructed taking the mugs back into the kitchen, to which James nodded his assent.

'Bye, mate' he smiled at Sirius 'Thanks for doing this – I owe you one'

'Too damn right you do' Sirius growled with a smirk. With one last chuckle and a shouted farewell to Remus, James Potter vanished from the flat with a loud _crack._

* * *

The biggest problem the young couple had faced when hunting for a place to live was the lack of anywhere big enough, or secure enough for a fully grown werewolf to transform. For a while the situation had seemed impossible – until they found flat 7b. The flat, although originally intended to be temporary, was beginning to look permanent – trouble was none of the bigger of better places had what this place had: deserted, derelict garages two minutes away on foot.

Although the brick and concrete walls seemed strong enough to contain a werewolf, the rusting garage doors didn't look as though they could contain a miffed squirrel, let alone a very angry werewolf. But, with a careful sprinkling of spells and charms, the garage was now almost entirely impenetrable.

'the only good thing about transforming' Remus hissed to Sirius, both sat opposite one another on the cold, concrete floor, 'is that the wolf has fur'.

Sirius gave a bark like laugh, 'Bit chilly, Moony?'

'Fucking freezing' he snapped. To preserve his clothes the young werewolf had taken them off, and left just beyond the doorway- hence why he found himself completely naked, in a small concrete room, in the middle of winter. _And just when I thought Lycanthropy couldn't get any worse_ Remus thought, teeth chattering slightly.

Given the small space inside the make shift cell, there wasn't room for Moony and Padfoot to roam about – so once the transformation started, Sirius would leave, and return early in the morning. He hated it, leaving Remus alone in that dismal place, but serious injury was far more likely in both were present in the cramped, confined conditions.

'Here we go' Remus hissed a while later, fingers and toes flexing.

'I'll see you in the morning' Sirius said firmly, leaning over to give him a light kiss on the forehead, before Remus hunched over in pain.

Sirius let out a shaky breath as he bolted the door behind him and cast a few more charms to make sure Remus wasn't found. Normally when they said goodbye for work in the morning, Sirius wouldn't kiss Remus – it wasn't really _that _sort of relationship – it was just different. But at times like these, Sirius was petrified he might not see Remus again – at least not in one piece.

The trek back to the flat was a silent one; the streets lit by the pale light of the moon, and, despite the silencing charms he himself had cast, Sirius strained his ears for the distant sounds of a pained wolf.

* * *

Leaving a blanket in the room would have been utterly pointless: Remus knew that. The wolf would tear it up in seconds. Still, that didn't stop him desperately wishing he had _something _to keep him warm. In future, he concluded, he would ask Sirius to cast a warming charm before leaving. In the pitch black, Remus attempted to survey the damage he had inflicted upon himself – a few new scars to his chest and back by the feel of it, and a broken rib or two. All in all, not too bad.

Not long after regaining consciousness Remus heard the bolt being shifted, signalled by the sound of grating metal on metal, followed by the creak of the garage door swinging open. The small room was flooded with blinding white light, a product, it was discovered, of the heavy layer of snow now coating the outside world.

'Morning' Sirius called gently, arms carrying a blanket and Remus' clothes 'What's the damage?' he asked, crouching next to Remus.

'Not much. A few broken ribs, I think. They'll have to be done before I move' he said quietly and jerkily, trying not to move.

Sirius nodded, producing his wand 'Hold still' he muttered, before his brows knitted together as he concentrated intently on the healing spell he was casting. As his eyes focused on Remus' bare chest, lips moving rapidly, Remus considered Sirius' appearance. Same robes as yesterday, dark circles round they eyes – all signs of a sleepless night. He reached up an arm, relieved to feel no pain, and pushed a few strands out of Sirius' face.

'I love you, you know' he said, matter of factly, hands still in his hair. His words, of course, did not just mean _I love you, _they meant a whole host of other things – _Stop worrying. Thank you. I'm not going anywhere. _Just to name a few.

Beneath the appearance of a man completely independent, without a care for anyone else, Remus knew Sirius was a lot more fragile than people knew- more fragile even than himself- and in constant need of reassurance.

'Glad to hear it' Sirius smiled, giving the wand one last flick 'There, all done – I think'

'Thanks' said Remus, pushing himself to sit upright against the cold wall.

'And I love you, too' he said evenly, plonking the pile of clothes in Remus' lap.

* * *

'I'm off now' Sirius announced, sticking his head around the door to the office

'Hm?' Remus looked up from a document, frowning 'Oh, that. Think it'll be a busy night?' he asked, putting the parchment down.

'Pfft –no' Sirius scoffed, swinging into the room and dropping into the chair of his own desk 'Dorrington Terrace – absolutely nothing major has happened there, ever'

'Really?' Remus asked with a sympathetic nod 'That boring?'

'Well, there was a suspected poisoning there in ... I don't know ... 1743 or something. Can't really see why it's high risk to be honest' he sighed. 'Is it boring? Let's just say I would much, much rather be here with you, taking your mind off broken ribs and battle scars' he growled, earning a low chuckled from Remus.

'How are the ribs, anyway?' he asked, standing to leave.

'Fine' Remus smiled 'your healing charms are nearly as good as Madame Pomfrey's'

'Nearly? Going to have to practice more then. Right, I'll see you later' he said, waving slightly as he turned to the door.

'Take care' Remus called, just as the front door closed with a _bang._

_

* * *

_

Remus liked having the flat to himself every once in a while, just having the space to wander about without tripping over another body. He liked the silence and the stillness that came with being alone, Sirius' character seemed to spread and fill every corner of their home when he was there – it had the potential to become overwhelming at times. It gave him time to think and ponder; not that that was always necessarily a good thing. The thoughts tangled in his mind weren't always pleasant – especially when it came to Sirius. Sirius had a restless energy- an energy Remus worried made the prospect of settling down impossible.

Since leaving Hogwarts the relationship had felt almost temporary, as though it were a gap-stop between being children in love, and adults moving onto 'real' life. He loved Sirius. That fact was not to be questioned, ever. What had to be questioned was how that love was being used. Public displays of affection were nearly non-existent, neither could remember who had decided it should be that way – perhaps it had just come naturally. Even within the flat, they were not particularly 'touchy feely' – truth was, there was very little about the relationship that could be called conventional. There was no handbook for this sort of thing.

* * *

'Remus?'...'Shit, Moony, wake up'. Remus, startled awake by a hand shaking his shoulder and a voice calling his name, was not entirely surprised to find he had fallen asleep at his desk.

'Sirius?' He grumbled, swatting the hand on his shoulder away 'Sirius, what's happening?'

'You were right' he hissed, fingers fumbling to find the light switch.

'What?'Remus yawned, shielding his eyes from the glare of the table top lamp.

'That murder in Blakeshall Road – it wasn't Death Eaters. You were right' he explained hastily.

'What makes you say that?' he asked wearily, feeling memories of a night long ago being wrenched to the surface.

'Because it's happened again. It's happened again on _my _watch'

'Shit' Remus gasped, sitting bolt upright 'Explain. All of it' he demanded.

'I got there 11pm, on the dot – dead quiet, not a peep from any of the houses. Until about 11:45'

'Go on' Remus prompted

'You know Maureen Elderton? Her husband worked in the ministry?' Remus nodded hastily 'She came home on the Knight bus, 11:45. She went up the steps, unlocked the door and went in'

'And then...?'

'That's when the screaming started. Her son... Myles ... his body was on the kitchen table'

Sirius was clearly shaken up, eyes wide and skin pale, hair dishevelled with a few rogue flakes of quickly melting snow. Remus cast a look at the clock on the wall: 1:30am.

'Stay there' he instructed standing up, Sirius just nodded vaguely, knees jiggling up and down.

Once in the kitchen Remus let out a shaky breath, his legs quaking slightly as he clutched at the kitchen worktop for support. If Sirius was right, and this was the same person, that would mean Remus was responsible for two deaths- not just one. With a deep breath Remus rearranged his features into a mask of composure and calm, before carrying a bottle of FireWhisky and two glasses back into the office.

'So, how do you know it's the same?' Remus put two glasses partially full of amber liquid on his desk, gesturing for Sirius to take one.

'No dark mark' Sirius said, words quickly followed by a gulp of whisky 'Boy was already dead – if it had been a Death Eater murder, there would have been a dark mark when I got there'

'Okay. But why are you sure? This could easily have been another rushed job, no time for the dark mark and you're getting worked up about nothing.'

'I inspected the house. Me and Bertie, we did a complete sweep of the house top to toe'

'And ...?'

'His bedroom was decked out in Green and Silver, Slytherin scarves and stuff all over the place. He was a fucking Slytherin, Moony'

'And Slytherins are almost always pureblood' Remus concluded, swilling the contents of his glass around. 'Perhaps he was a rogue Death Eater? Had to be neutralised'

'That's what they said' Sirius said darkly

'Who's _they?' _

'Dumbledore, Bertie – The Order. They say it's not our responsibility, up to the Ministry. You were right Moony' he took another gulp of whisky, wincing slightly as it hit the back of his throat.

'And you didn't believe me' Remus said quietly

'I know' Sirius sighed, leaning forwards in his chair 'I'm sorry'

All those carefully hidden feelings of guilt over this were starting to shift, coming out of the woodwork. He had been right, all along, and his best friend, his flatmate – his _partner _hadn't believed him.

'His body it was ...' Sirius choked 'It was a mess, Remus. He was littered with cuts and bruises'

'The last one wasn't beaten up' Remus said slowly.

Sirius nodded 'I thought that. But then, you interrupted the one in Blakeshall Road, this happened hours before I got there.'

'Okay' Remus said gently, laying a hand on his shoulder. 'Finish these, get some sleep and we'll get this sorted in the morning.' Sirius nodded miserably, swallowing the rest of his drink in a gulp. Remus knew there would be little sleep tonight, but what else was he meant to say?

* * *

'It was horrible' Sirius muttered again half an hour later, head resting on Remus' chest.

'I know' Remus said, combing Sirius' hair with his fingers.

'He was so young' he murmured through a dry sob, fingers travelling up Remus' stomach in aimless patterns. He did that, when he was bored or upset – Remus didn't know why, had never asked- but it seemed to help calm him, so he said nothing. The roaming fingers began to trace some of the more prominent scars on his abdomen, teeth marks and claw marks all jumbled together.

Remus hated the scars, and wished with every fibre of his being that they could be removed by magic. Sirius, however, seemed fascinated by them – he said they added 'character'. Remus strongly disagreed, and highly doubted Sirius would still think they gave 'character' if _his_ perfect skin was littered with constant reminders of his own deadly flaws. It had taken a long time before he had trusted Sirius enough to even let him see the scars, let anlone touch them - but he knew Sirius was the only one he would ever trust with something like that - they were the physcial manifestation of the link between himself and the wolf, and Sirius was probably be the only one to ever fully accept and deal with that.

'Shit' he whispered, fingertips halfway through a set of three, parallel scars from the wolf's claws.

'What?' Remus' worried voice asked, tipping his head slightly to gaze upon the top of Sirius' head.

'They weren't cuts and bruises from torture' he said slowly

'What makes you say that?'

'They weren't fresh, so couldn't have been done at the time of the killing'

'So he'd been held captive?' Remus reasoned

'No, he'd been seen the previous day- from a distance, but it was definitely him – the cuts had started to heal slightly, to scab over. There wouldn't have been enough time for the killer to do that'

' ... So?'

'Moony' Sirius said, licking his lips nervously 'I think Myles was a werewolf'

'A werewolf?' Remus asked slowly, pieces of the jigsaw slotting into place 'That's a bit of a leap, Sirius ... and a very tenuous link'

'But' he hesitated, mulling it over in his head 'It would make sense I suppose – Full moon last night, cuts would be fresh – assuming he hadn't healed them'

'Because he didn't know how' Sirius mused 'Because he was new'

'He'd only just been changed?'

'Yes!' Sirius exclaimed, sitting up straight 'he was new to it, didn't know how to heal himself yet. Would also explain why I didn't notice any scars, just fresh cuts, because...'

'Because he hasn't been one long enough to gather such an extensive array of scars as, let's say, me'

'Exactly' he nodded 'No offence' he added hastily.

'Non taken' Remus assured him 'Well, congratulations Miss Marple' he smiled, poking his bed fellow in the shoulder. 'Just don't go getting ahead of yourself. Going from 'he has a few cuts' to 'he's a werewolf' is a massive shift, this could backfire so easily'

'If we can prove' Sirius said hesitantly 'that Elderton and Madstone were _both_ Werewolves, we might just have ourselves a possible motive'

'There's no evidence Madstone was' Remus pointed out warily. 'Guess work like this is dangerous'

'There can't be that many werewolves around – chances are, if two of them are killed within a month of the other, there's something linking them.'

'True'Remus conceded.

'It's just proving it that's going to be difficult'

'Ah' Remus began slowly, as though debating with himself internally whether to give up this piece of information 'Actually, I might be able to help there. I have a contact – a friend, really – from a while back. If anyone knows about the werewolves of Britain, they'll be the person'

'Can we go meet him?' Sirius asked urgently 'Tomorrow?'

The breakthrough and possible lead shook Sirius from his misery – they had a vague plan of action, something they could be getting on with- something that could possibly lead them to an answer.

'No' Remus replied with a smirk 'But we can go and meet _her _tomorrow'

'Ah, she's a _she_? Well, at least that means one thing's definite'

'Oh, really?'

'Mm, she'll bend over backwards to help us'

'What makes you say that?' Remus asked eyebrows furrowed.

'Well, women just love you- they all want a piece of you' Sirius said, before burrowing down into the covers.

'Is that so?' Remus sighed, switching off the bedside lamp and plunging them into the darkness of the early morning.

'Yeah' Sirius yawned, arms searching for Remus' waist 'they're not bloody having you though' he said sleepily, arms circling the werewolf next to him.

'Good' Remus sighed into the darkness.

* * *

It was with a smile of satisfaction that the second red pin was pushed into the large wall map, this time covering Dorrington Terrace. It was true, betrayals had to be answered for and paid off- and sometimes only blood would do.

Two down.

* * *

**So sorry if there are more mistakes than usual, it was a bit of a rush job - I should probably invest in finding a beta reader (I will one day, I swear). I know the section about the whole 'Werewolf thing' felt a little bit as though it had been crow-barred in: I've re-written than section so many times, I might cry if I have to touch it again.**

Also, I know Lily's birthday isn't actually in December - but can we just pretend it is for now, to save the horror of more plot holes than are actually needed? :D 

**Thank you to he those who have reviewed, and also to the fair few who have added this to their alert list - I presume at least some of you are reading, so I shall battle on.**

Feedback is loved, especially if you have any suggestions for improvement. Did anything in particular irk you? Is it starting to slip out of character in places? Anything at all would be handy to know.  
The next chapter will see the introduction of one or two new characters, so there will be a slightly broader cast of characters eventually - I notice the last three have been very closely focused on Sirius and Remus, a few new voices might help propel it along a bit. 

**Thanks for reading, and have a nice day.  
**


	5. Chapter 4

**I feel like I haven't slept in about three months, so this, I'm afraid, is the best I could do for the latest offering. Enjoy!  


* * *

**

The old cliché that everything will seem better in the morning was utter nonsense, as far as Remus could see. As the grey light of a cold December morning fought its way into the bedroom, Remus was already awake to greet it. He'd woken feeling sick to his stomach and petrified over something – it had taken his mind a few moments to recall the conversation he and Sirius had had last night.

He'd been right, all along, and Sirius had tried to convince him he was wrong – no, he _had _convinced him he was wrong. If he hadn't interfered, Remus may have gotten to the bottom of this by now- may even have been able to stop the latest murder. Of course, deep down, he knew it was himself he was angry with, not Sirius – Sirius couldn't have known. But he should have done something that night, should have stopped them.

It was the same thought that had been circling his head for nights now- it was entirely his fault. It didn't matter how many times Sirius told him otherwise, the guilt was stuck fast. With a frustrated sigh, Remus clambered out of bed and into the bathroom.

Sirius was woken by the sound of running water, eyes blinking blearily in the weak sunlight. As one hand pushed through his hair, roughly brushing knots out, the other groped the bedside table for his watch. 8:15am. Far too early to be up, he concluded, before burrowing further into the covers and closing his eyes.

Eyes which shot open seconds later when the image of a young man, spread eagle on a scrubbed wooden table swam into vision. _It had been real. _Some part of his brain had tried to persuade him it had been a dream – but the now present nauseous feeling in his stomach told him otherwise.

He was still lay sprawled across the double bed when Remus emerged from the bathroom, draped in a towel and drying his hair with his wand.

'Morning' he said gently, sitting on the edge of the bed. Sirius nodded in reply, before they both returned to silence. The strange sense of excitement and anticipation both had felt last night had dispersed, leaving them cold.

'I'm sorry' Sirius croaked, eyes not leaving the plain white ceiling. Remus didn't have to ask what he was apologising for. 'I should have trusted you. I _did _trust you ... and then ...' he trailed off, leaving Remus to fill in the gap.

'And then those busybodies in the Order got their claws in, hm? Told you I was losing it ...'

'Something like that' Sirius admitted, once again pushing his hand through his hair. 'So ... what's our next move?' he gave a long stretch, readying himself for immediate action.

'Our?' Remus asked in surprise, shifting on the bed to sit cross legged.

'Yes, _our' _– clearly Sirius though this should have been more than obvious-'We're in this together now'.

'Oh ... right' Remus was taken off guard; he'd naturally assumed this was his problem to fix. It hadn't really crossed his mind that Sirius would seriously commit to getting involved. In the heat of the moment Sirius would promise the world – very rarely did he follow through. 'Well, um' he coughed slightly, trying to rid his voice of surprise 'First, I suppose we have to sort out this Werewolf theory of yours'

'You say you've got someone who can help there, yeah?'

'Someone who _might _be able to help'

'Who?' Sirius was sat up now, duvet gathered around his waist.

'Her name's Maggie, she works in St Mungo's'

'She's a quack?' Sirius gave a snort, leaning back against the headboard.

'I think they prefer the term _healer, _actually' Remus corrected.

'If you say so' Sirius conceded, rolling out of bed with a _thunk _'Now, you get your kit on and I'll sort out a high caffeine breakfast' he instructed, wandering out the room towards the kitchen, clad in only a pair of blue boxers.

* * *

'I hate this place' Sirius muttered, a mock shiver rattling his frame as they walked briskly through St Mungo's.

'It's nice to not be a patient for once' Remus said grimly, eyes sweeping along the corridor checking for signposts. 'Third floor' he said, eyebrows raised 'She's moved'

They jogged up the wide staircases, counting the floors as they went until they reached the third. Remus had, in the early days, spent an undesirable amount of time in the hospital, recovering from wounds inflicted under the influence of the full moon.

'Dumbledore is not going to like this' Sirius pointed out, dodging out the way of a bed gliding down the centre of the corridor, upon which sat a wizard with what looked suspiciously like walrus tusks. Death Eater activity was still high and the headmaster of Hogwarts was determined to keep as many of the members dedicated to controlling and removing the threat of Voldemort as possible.

'Who said Dumbledore was going to find out?' Remus asked evenly, to which his companion gave a bark of laughter. 'Just duck or something if you see anyone we recognise'.

'Here we go' Remus announced triumphantly, gesturing to a plain wood door with a single pain of distorted glass, which he promptly pushed open 'After you'.

Sirius ducked under Remus' arm, emerging on the other side in a small ward, flooded with light from the huge windows lining the back wall. The ward was quiet, only the low hum of voices preventing total silence. Narrow hospital beds were pushed up against the two, longest walls of the room – some occupied by partially bandaged figures, others empty.

'And how can I help you two?' A strong voice drifted from halfway up the room- both men turned to find the source of the sound.

'Good grief' The voice gasped, eventually being traced back to a tall witch with short, greying hair – decked out in robes of earthy browns and various shades of reds and purples. 'If it isn't Remus Lupin' she said with a wide grin, hands on hips and head slightly cocked to the left.

'Maggie' Remus greeted with an equally wide smile 'Sirius, this is Maggie O'Brien – First port of call for werewolves. Maggie was in charge of patching me up and getting me back on my feet when I was first bitten. I imagine she's seen just about every werewolf in Britain pass through these doors.'

'And you haven't changed a bit since then' She announced with glee, moving swiftly up the central aisle between the beds with a soft _click click _of low heels.

'This' Remus gestured 'is Sirius Black, my partner.' Both Sirius and the newly introduced witch exchanged greetings, Sirius giving her his trademark dazzling smile.

'Well well' Maggie placed her hands on Remus' shoulders, holding him at arm's length to scrutinise his appearance 'A few more scars than I remember, but all in all you seem to be fairing well'

Remus blushed slightly, turning his head away in embarrassment. 'It was Maggie that secured my place in Hogwarts' Remus said, turning to Sirius.

'He was a bright laddie even back then. Usually the young werewolves have to be educated at home ... But this one was a bit special' she explained, leaning her head back slightly to squint at Remus. 'it would have been a waste of talent, I said so at the time – and said so to Dumbledore. He was dubious at first, but as soon as he met the boy – well, I think he saw my point'

Sirius nodded his understanding, surveying the various beds lining the beige walls.

'So what exactly do you do here?' He asked, curious as ever.

'Any injuries pertaining to Lycanthropy are dealt with in this room' she said, turning slightly to gaze down the ward with pride. 'For the first few months after being infected, they'll be admitted after every transformation – until their bodies become used to the change, and their families become competent when it comes to healing charms, they'll come here to be patched up'

'Maggie is the leading expert on Lycanthropy in Europe – though, I daresay in the world' Remus explained in a stage whisper to Sirius, to which Maggie smacked him lightly on the shoulder with a girlish giggle.

'So, what can I do for you two, hm?' she asked gesturing for them to walk to the end of the ward.

'We need some background information on a few people – we need to know if they were patients of yours'

'Ah-ha' She said slowly 'You know, I can't really give out information like that Remus – confidentiality'

'I doubt they'd mind' Sirius snorted, earning an arched eyebrow from the witch.

'They're dead' Remus explained gently, throwing a reproachful look over his shoulder at Sirius as they followed Maggie.

'Dead? Oh my...well – that changes everything, I suppose' she said, pushing open one of two doors at the far end of the room, waiting for her two guests to enter.

'Now, what did you say their names were?' she said, pushing a small pair of reading glasses onto her nose.

'Madstone and Elderton' Sirius said, leaning against the now closed door. Maggie gave a nod, before flicking open a large notebook – after several minutes of studying the pages, she gave another nod.

'John Madstone and Myles Elderton' she said, taking the glasses off. 'Madstone had been a werewolf for about a decade, Myles was a new recruit, less than six months ... his mother was totally destroyed by it' she said quietly, flicking the book shut. 'How did it ... how did it happen?' She asked, running a bony hand through her short hair.

'We're not entirely sure' Remus said.

'But we think ...' Sirius began, flashing a look at Remus for approval to continue – Remus nodded 'We think it may have been murder'. A stunned silence filled the room, Maggie dropped heavily into her chair, colour draining rapidly from her face.

'Murder, you say?' she stuttered 'No... Absolutely not' she said firmly, shaking her head.

'It's true, I'm afraid' Remus said sympathetically.

'Myles was only 18 ... he'd only just left Hogwarts. He was improving so much – he would have lived a perfectly normal life' she shook her head despairingly.

'We're trying to get to the bottom of it' Sirius said

'Working with the Ministry?' she asked, sniffing slightly.

'Er..sort of' Sirius said, wiggling his head in a 'so-so' manner 'Is there anything – _anything _else you can tell us?'

'Anything at all?' Remus added.

'Yes' she nodded, running a hand under her nose 'Well, no – you'd be better off asking Glenda'

'Glenda?' both men asked in confusion.

'She's my technician' she said, distantly – mind clearly still on her murdered patients 'she's in the office next door'

'Thank you, Maggie' Remus said, stepping forwards to place a comforting hand on her shoulder 'Thank you, very much'

'Very welcome, my dear' she sniffed, smiling weakly 'I'm used to them dying ... the lives of werewolves are not often long ones. But murder? ...' she shook her head again, slouching back in the chair. Remus gave an understanding nod, thanked her again before leading Sirius out of the office and back into the ward.

* * *

'So, we off to see the frumpy secretary then?' Sirius asked, pointing to the second door. Remus smacked him lightly on the arm in reproach.

'Who said she was frumpy?' He asked

'Oh come on 'Glenda'? If she's younger than 65, I'll probably be shocked into a heart attack' he said wryly, following Remus up to the door. They knocked three times, waiting impatiently for a response, Sirius bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet, straining to see through the high glass window set into the door.

'Come in' the response eventually drifted through the door, which snapped open of its own accord. The two men marched into the office – smaller than the last one, but far neater.

'Glenda?' Remus asked with a smile, extending his hand to shake hers 'I'm Remus Lupin, this is Sirius Black – Ms O'Brien said we should speak to you about some patient files'. Sirius stepped forwards to shake the witch's hand when Remus had stopped speaking.

He'd been quite wrong about the witch – mid twenties with a neat bob of dark blonde hair. Had Sirius been at all attracted to the female species, he decided he would have been quite taken with her – as, he imagined, would Remus.

'Which files are you after?' The young witch asked, standing up from behind the desk and moving to the bank of black filing cabinets in the corner. When stood up it was clear she was quite short, maybe two heads shorter than Remus without her heels which clacked sharply as she paced across the dark wooden floor.

'John Madstone and Myles Elderton' Sirius said, tapping his foot lightly as they watched her give a long sweep of her wand. Two drawers shot open simultaneously, spitting two plain beige files at her.

'What do you want to know?' She asked, flicking the first one open as she perched on the edge on her desk.

'Well' Sirius began softly, moving closer to the witch 'We're not sure what we're looking for really – we were rather hoping you could ..._lend _the files to us?'

The young witch's eyes flicked up and down Sirius, taking in his appearance, before settling on his eyes. With a sigh she tapped the front of the file with her left hand, head cocked as she considered the situation.

'Can I ask what this about?' she asked eventually.

'Of course' Sirius replied smoothly, giving her his best, canine grin. Remus felt a pang of jealousy when he saw _that _smile. _That _smile that never failed to get Sirius' chosen 'victim' into bed ..._that _smile had gotten _Remus_ into bed.

'They were murdered' He said plainly, Remus stifled a grin as the atmosphere in the room changed dramatically – any attraction between the two was quickly replaced by shock.

'Murder?' she gasped 'But ... does Ms O'Brien know?' she asked quickly, voice lowered.

'Obviously, or we wouldn't be here' Remus said, causing the woman to blush.

'Yes, of course – sorry' she stuttered, while Sirius threw a glare at Remus. 'I hope you broke it to her gently?' she said quietly, speaking directly to Sirius.

'As gently as we could' Sirius assured her.

'Maggie's stronger than _that' _Remus scoffed.

'Yes' Glenda agreed tersely, 'but she's had a lot on recently ... I think she's close to breaking point'

'How do you mean?' Remus demanded, eyebrows furrowed.

'Her daughter, Lynda – you know her?' She targeted the question at Sirius.

'Yes' and 'No' Remus and Sirius answered respectively, at the same time.

'Did we?' Sirius asked in surprise, turning to look at Remus.

'Mm, she was in her last year at Hogwarts when we arrived' he explained.

'Oh ... anyway, you were saying?' He prompted Glenda to continue.

'Lynda had a daughter, Elsie – she's been ill recently, Maggie's been taking care of her'

'Runny noses aren't really Maggie's department, are they?' Remus asked coldly.

'I think it was probably a little more serious than that, _actually.' _She snapped 'Maggie wouldn't let anyone else take care of her – must be the doctor in her, I suppose'

'Well, I think it came as a bit of a surprise' Sirius admitted 'But she'll be fine – just nip in with some strong tea in half an hour or so' he suggested with a wink.

'Right, well – I think that's everything' Remus announced pointedly, moving to stand next to his partner.

'Okay' Glenda slipped off the desk 'I can't let you take the originals, but I can give you copies' she explained, laying the files down on her desk and tapping them with her wand – where two beige folders had been a second ago, there now sat four.

'Here you go' she handed two over to Sirius, who replied with a soft 'Thank you, you've been a great help' and flashed another heart-breaking smile.

'If I can do anything else to help – you know where I am' – before Sirius could even contemplate a reply, Remus had grabbed firmly him by the arm and frog marched him from the office, back into the ward.

* * *

'What's your problem, you lunatic?' Sirius demanded, voice jerking as they thundered down a flight of stairs – Remus still holding his arm in a death grip.

'Problem? Who said I had a _problem?_' Remus asked innocently, head down, barging through the crowds of people.

'Moony, you're cutting off my circulation' ... 'Moony! Just _stop_' Sirius demanded, shaking his arm free and coming to a halt. 'Either spit it out, or pack it in'

'Oh, me pack it in?' Remus laughed 'I'm not the one chatting up every piece of skirt I come across'

'Bollocks!' Sirius scoffed, grabbing Remus by the sleeve and drawing him against a wall out the way of a passing trolley.

'Oh, don't deny it Sirius' he snarled 'I had to physically restrain you from leaping on her'

The scowl on Remus' face only deepened when Sirius threw back his head, giving a throaty chuckle.

'If I didn't know better, I'd say you were jealous' Sirius breathed, placing his hands on the wall behind Remus, arms either side of his head, effectively pinning him in place. 'What on earth makes you think I'd want a blonde, bimbo-esque secretary, over you?' he asked, head cocked to the said in mock confusion.

'Yes, well' Remus coughed, reluctantly tearing his eyes away from Sirius' 'We should get going ... work to do' he nodded to himself, ducking under Sirius' outstretched arms.

Sirius couldn't quite suppress a small smirk as he followed Remus through the building – No matter how many years they'd been together, no matter how angry he was, Sirius was always able to win him around. _Just one of my many, wicked talents _he mused, pushing past witches and wizards littering the hospital corridors.

'Oi, Black' a voice drifted down the corridor, prompting both Remus and Sirius to spin on their heels, wands subtly slipped from their robe pockets. Halfway up the flight of stairs they had just descended stood a tall figure, waving frantically in their direction.

'Bertie' Sirius sighed, shoving his wand back as they waited for the wizard to catch up with them.

'What you doing here?' Bertie asked as he drew level. Remus had never been particularly close to Bertie, but knew him by sight – tall, but slightly hunched, a drooping eye and larger than normal ears. Not exactly an oil painting, but a decent enough wizard by all accounts.

'Visiting' Sirius said simply, eyes darting up and down the corridor for other order members.

'Who?' he asked, eyebrows raised.

'Er, my sister' the lie seemed to clang in the silence, Remus wincing – Sirius didn't have a sister; a well known fact. Bertie, however, seemed to accept this.

'Ah. Depressing place, ain't it?' he said, nodding his head back up the stairs 'I'm here with the wife – her mother's got lock jaw'

'Lock jaw? Is that really a case for St Mungo's?' Sirius asked, distracted from his search by the statement.

'Oh, yes – it's padlocked jaw, to be precise. Until they find a key that fits, she ain't saying a word – personally, I'd rather she stayed that way ... the missus reckons that would be cruel though' he explained, forlorn expression showing he didn't particularly agree with his wife.

'Bertie, as absolutely riveting as this is – we really have to be off' Sirius said firmly, steering Remus towards the exit.

'Not exactly the brightest button in the box, is he?' Remus asked under his breath.

'A few sandwiches short of a picnic is, I think, the accepted definition for him' Sirius said with a low chuckle 'Keep walking, before he catches up – the less we know about his mother in law, the better'.

* * *

'What are we looking for, exactly?' Sirius asked with a sigh, the pages of Madstone's file spread out across his desk – de-cluttered of junk at Remus' insistence- the first page featured a small, black and white photograph of Madstone, paper clipped in place – as with all wizarding photographs, the face pictured blinked, and occasionally scratched an ear.

'Anything' Remus replied, peering through his glasses at the first page of Elderton's file, listing his age, occupation, blood status, etcetera.

'Anything a little less vague?'

'Look for anything that could suggest motive for murder' Remus elaborated, not looking up from the parchment.

The two stayed in their positions for seemingly hours, trawling over the documents, and breaking only to drink tea and, as the night drew in, whiskey. Sirius felt his eyelids begin to drop as he began reading a blow by blow account of Madstone's attack and admission – no detail had been missed from the files, which made for concise, but not easy, reading.

'Moony' Sirius said, sitting up straight suddenly alert. 'Look at this'. Remus spun around in his chair, standing with a faint click of a knee.

'What you got?' Remus leant over the desk to see the page Sirius was gesturing to.

'After the waffle about his admission, condition analysis and what-not there's a list of names'. Remus inhaled sharply as his eyes skimmed down the page.

_Marcus Malvern – Deceased. _

_Julia Hunt – Deceased. _

_Benjamin O'Keefe - _ _Converted._

'All the people he's attacked' Remus breathed. Sirius leant over to pluck the Elderton file from Remus desk, flicking through the relevant page.

'Nothing for Elderton' Sirius sighed, flinging the folder down. 'What do you think – A lead?'

'Well' Remus began slowly 'the only motives for murder I can think of are: money, sex, love and revenge. This puts a pretty big tick in the 'Revenge' box, don't you think?'

'So, next move?'

'Get every scrap of information we can on these three people – families, friends, everything.'

'How?' Sirius sighed, to which Remus gave a smirk.

'I have a young acquaintance in the Records office in the ministry. He won't be pleased to see me back so soon, but we can get what we want with a little persuasion of the financial kind'

'So we're going to bribe a young, upcoming ministry official in an undercover, totally unofficial detective case?' Sirius asked in mock indignation, before a wide smile crept over his features 'Sounds like a fun day'.

* * *

**Now, main question – do we like the new characters? I hate shoving OC's in, I really do, but I needed some new blood I'm afraid. I'm not happy with this - I seem to be swining between extremes with my writing at the moment, it's either all dialogue or non at all, for this there just seems to be no action and all dialogue. Any feedback at all would be greatly appreciated!**


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